Stepless car.



C. W. BENJAMIN.

STEPLESS CAB.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1913.

1,1 86,539. y Patented Jue 13, 1916.

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STEPLESS CAR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1913.

Patented June 13, 1916.

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STEPLESS CAR.

APPLICATION FILED AP11.4,1913.

Lmg, Patend June 13, 1911s.

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STEPLESS CAR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, v1913.

Patented June 13, 1916.

C. W. BENJAMIN.

sTEPLEss CAR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1 913.

l Patented 111.1613. 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

@ATE PANT CHARLES W. BENJAMIN, F CRANFOBID, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO PREPAYMENTCAR SALES COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLNOS, A CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

STEPLESS CAR.

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Specication of Letters latent.`

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Application led April 4, 1913. Serial N-o. 758,747.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, CHARLES W. Brno. JAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residthe following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to stepless cars.

The object of the invention is to provide a stepless car that will reduce the floor level of the car not only along the seating space but also at the ends ofthe car.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a car of the stepless type which will enable the entrance to and exit from the carto be located at the end of the car.

@ther objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

lThe invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement ot' parts all as will be more fully hereinatteriset forth as shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of one end of a car body structure, parts broken off showing an arrangement of stepless car embodying the principles of my in- Vso vention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, parts broken out andparts in-horizontal section on the line 2, 2, Fig. 1, showing the entrance and exit passages and relative arrangement of thecar truck at the end of the car. Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing a construction of truck employed in carrying out my invention, Fig. 4: is a view in vertical section on the line 4:, 4, Fig'. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a broken view in vertical transverse'section on the line 5, 5, Fig. 2, lookingin the directionof the arrows. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 on the line 6, 6, Fig. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a view in topl plan ofthe Side and end portions of the truck frames. Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation ofthe same. Fig. 9 is a view in front elevation partly in transverse vertical section showing the axle box and springs.

ln the present type of stepless street cars, the Hoor space lis close to the level of the streetI at the center of the car and is inclined I upwardly from the center entrance toward the ends of the car so as to provide space for the trucks. This necessitates the location of the entrance and exit doors or doorways at the center or near the center of the car in order that the advantage of the stepless feature may be attained.

ln my present invention it is among my objects to reduce the height of the oar floor level not only along the seating space and center of the car but also at the ends, in order that a .stepless car may be provided with an end entrance and exit doorway.

ln carrying out my invention in one form of embodiment thereof, I provide a truck consisting of four-'wheels 1, arranged in pairs, each wheel being mounted on a short axle 2. The axles 2 are only longenough to accommodate a wheel and to provide sufficient'bearing in journal boxes located on each side of the wheel, that is, they do not extend across the truck as in previous constructions.

The truck frame is shown as constructed in two parts. One part consists of side bars 3 at each side of the truck. These side bars extend lengthwise the car between the wheels and are providedl withinte'gral axle box yokes 4, extending over the axles both inside and outside the wheels 1.- The side frames 3, are extended at: each end beyond the axlebox yokes, as indicated at 5 and 6,

and these extensions areconnected togetherv transversely of the truck by the usual cross bars 7 and 8. Connecting the side members 3 of the truck frame, arecross bars 10, ex-

tending transversely across the truck', below "andparallel to the axles 2. These cross bars are yoked at their ends as shown at 9, andl carry the axle boxes 11 and 12, in which the axles 2 are journaled. These boxes are located in the vertical openings as on the 'yokes fi. Spiral springs 13 are arranged f the ground and extends transversely across. the truck and is supported orcarriedr atvits may be made in parts united together, consists of two equalizer bars 14, arranged over the side frames 3, and rests upon spiral springs 15, interposed between the side frames, 3 and the equalizerbars 14, to carry the weightV of the car body; The equalizer' bars14, have vertical grooves 16-in which ane received and work in a slidingfengagement, the flanges lgon the inner edges of the 'axle yokes 4. Elliptic 'springs'l18 are providedv and are 'placed between the wheels on each side of. the truckV and between the 'side frames 3 and the equalizer bars 14.*

socket 18a, in each side frame 3 anda'cor.,

responding socket 19in each'equalizerbar 14, serve toreceive and formseats for the clips ofthe elliptic springs. In addition /tof the equalizer bars 14, the second partof the. truck frame includes as a part thereof, a

truck bolster 21, which is" arranged close s to ends -by the 'upwardly extending members 22 which `lieclose to the sides of tlie truck and which are integralfwith orsecured to the equalizer ybars 14. Each equalizer, bar 14j is provided with a flanged .rub' plate 23, the outer edge of which is curved on an arc @struck from'the c'enter of the truck. x g The car body'7 `may be provided vwith any desired arrangement of seats, but preferably-'is formed with longitudinally extend'- `--ing seats 24 at each side ofthe car'near its ends, and the Hoor 25 is depressed y, Tov the underside ofthe vcar is secured a' body bolster consisting of a horizontal/cro' member 26, whichrlies close to and para' le With the truck bolster. 21, and it is.provide with a pin 27 fitting in a vrece'ss'jn,y the-member .21. .This is in the nature/ oa king pin about which the swivel action ofv truck and body are secured. The body bolster is pro vided at its ends with upwardlyl extending portions 2,8, which lie parallelwith the inembers' 22and said portions 28,',are outwardly turned 'or extended to form .rub-'platea 29, which overhang and rest upon the truck rub plates 23.

' The fum'v 25 of' the car este and is Sup; ported upon the-car body bolster26, which, as above explained extends f'transversely ofl the car and truck, and lies close to and'parallel withfthe truck bolster 2l, andhaving` the verticalv end portions 28 and the portions 29 which overhang .and rest upon the truck plates 23. By this construction the famove A:together except for the swiveling movement of the truck bolster, relatively to i the body bolster; The depressed floor conf struction is carried to the-extreme end of the car so that a steplessand end entrance and g .exit maybe provided.- The upright-members 28 of the body bolster andthe upright members 22 of the truck bolster are also curve upon arcs struck Jfrom the center of the kingpin 27.

The broad idea involved in my invention is to do away with' the long axles at .the ends of the car so as to permit the level of the floor to be lowered at the end ofthe car, and

to carry this out the cross' parts of the car "tbody and truck bolsters are depressed in- "termediate their ends. In order to permit thetruck's to turn in relation to the car body, the latter is provided with recesses 3 1 at each side. l

The entrance and exit doorway maybe controlled by a door, ifA desired, and any suitable, convenient or desired door structure may be employed;A In the particular form shown, to which of course, my invention is not to be limited or restricted, a door of the slidin type .is employed, as indicated at 32, and W ere a door is employed it may be controlled in any well known manner and from any desired point.

A stepless car such as above described atf tains, all the advantages of a car having its floor level within a single step distance from the ground at theends of'the car instead of .the center with ingress and egress openings for passengers to and from the car located at theends of the car.

It is obvious that an end entrance and exit stepless car may be-arranged for fare prepayment. An arrangement for this purpose is shown wherein a railing 34may serve to divide the space inside the doorway into separate entrance and exit passages, while a railing35, a fare box 36 or other convenpayment and; door control station on x or adjacent the line of travel of entering passen ers. a

ture of my invention, I desire it to be understood that many variations in the details of construction and arrangement might readily occur/to persons skilled in the art andustill Vfall/within .the spirit and scope ofmy invention as defined-in the claims. My invention, therefore, is not to be limited or restricted ient means may serve to define a fare pre-l aving now set forth the objects and, na-

tBo the exact details shown and described.

What I do claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is ,1.A car',a truck having side members, truck wheels independentlyv journaled in said side members, a car body bolster having its ends upwardly and loutwardly extended to overhang the truck side members and a floor for the car supported upon the car bolster intermediate the upwardly extending ends of the latter.

2. A car having a vfloor, a truck having side` members, said side members provided with upwardly extending yolres at their ends, journalboxes mounted in said yokes, truck wheel stub axles journaled in said boxes, a car body bolster having upwardly and outwardly extending ends to overhang the truck side members, the car floor resting upon said bolster intermediate the upwardly extending end portions of the latter.

3. A car having a floor, a truck having side members, journal boxes arranged to worlr in openings in said side members, stub axles journaled in said boxes, truck wheels carried by said stub axles, a car body bolster having upwardly and outwardly extending end portions arranged to overhang the truck side members, said. car floor supported upon said bolster intermediate its end portions. l

4. A ear having a iioor, a truck having side members, cross bars connecting said side members, said cross bars having upwardly extending end portions arranged to overhang the truck side members, journal boxes carried by said end portions, truck wheel stub axles journaled in said boxes, a car body bolster also having upwardly extending end portions arranged to overhang the truck side members and forming a support, intermediate its end for the car floor.

5. A ear having a floor, a supporting truck therefor, said oar and truck having transversely extending members provided with upwardly extending end portions to overhang the sides of the truck, the floor of the car being carried by the car member intermediate the overhanging ends of the latter. i

6. A car having a floor, a supporting truck therefor, said car and truck having transversely 4 extending members provided with upwardly extending Yend portions to overhang the sides of the truck, truck wheels independently journaled in-said truck members, the floor of the ear being carried by the oar member intermediate the overhanging ends of the latter. Y'

7. A ear having a floor, a supporting truck therefore, said ear and truck, respectively, having transversely extending members, truck wheels independently journaled in the ends of the truck member, the end of the car l member being upwardly and outwardly extended to overhang the truck sides, the car Hoor, carried by said car member intermediate the ends of the latter.

8. A car having a floor, a supporting truck therefor, said truck having transversely extending members movable vertically at their ends upon the sides of the truck, truck wheels independently journaled in the ends of said members, a ear body bolster having upwardly and outwardly extending ends to overhang the sides of the truck, said floor being carriedvby saidbolster intermediate the ends of the latter.l

9. A car having a floor, a supporting truck therefor, a truck bolster having upwardly and outwardly extending end portions arranged to overhang the sides of the truck, springs interposed between said overhanging ends of the truck bolster and truck sides, a oar bolster having vertically and outwardly extending end portions resting upon the end portions of the truck bolster, the ear iioor being carried by the ear bolster intermediate the end portions of the latter.

l0. A car having a floor, a supporting truck therefor, a truck bolster having vertically and outwardly extending end portions arranged to overhang the sides of the truck, the outer edge of said end portions being curved, a car bolster having vertically. andloutwardly extending end portions restingupon the end portions of the truck bolster and having a curved iiange to engage over the curved end edge`s of the truck bolster, said bolsters being swivelly connected together, the ear iioor being carried by the vcar bolster intermediate the end por-- tions of the latter.

11. A car having a floor, a truck having side members, equalizers, yieldingly supported upon said side members, a truck bolster having vertically extended end portions oonneoted to said equalizers, a car bolster, having swivel connection with said truck bolster, the ends of the car bolster being arranged to extend upwardly and outwardly over said equalizers and supportedv thereon, the car floor being carried by said car bolster intermediate the upwardly extending ends ofthe latter.

12. A oar having a floor, a truck having side members said side members having verticaliy extending yokes at their ends, equalizers having vertically sliding connection at their ends with said yokes, springs. interposed between said equalizers and side members, a car bolster swivelly connected with the equalizers, and having vertically and outwardly extending end portions to overhang and rest upon said equalizers, the ear floor being carried by said car bolster intermediy ate the end portions of the latter. y

13. A'car having a floor, a truck having side members, equalizers yieldingly support- 4B l mesme ed upon said side members, a car bolster havhand Vin the presence of the subscribing ing upwardly end outwardly extendingend Witnesses, onvths 27th day of March, AJ). portions to overhang and rest upon said 1913.

o equalizers, the car floor being carried by the CHARLES W. BENJAMIN. 5 car bolster intermediate the end portions of Witnesses: l

the latter. G. A. MGGRATH,

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set S. E. DARBY. v 

